


Working Buddies

by CerealMonster



Category: Bob's Burgers (Cartoon)
Genre: Fluff, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-11-08
Updated: 2015-11-08
Packaged: 2018-04-30 13:31:30
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,889
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5165627
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/CerealMonster/pseuds/CerealMonster
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>High schooler Gene and college age Zeke work together at the restaurant and hang out at the beach.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Working Buddies

**Author's Note:**

> A fic I posted on [tumblr](http://cerealmonster15.tumblr.com/post/120051986132/i-spent-many-hours-today-writing-a-zekegene-fic) a few months ago that I thought I'd put here, as well! Done for fun and not really edited much, so it's not the neatest.

“Hey, fire up the grill! Chef Zeke is in the HOUSE!”

Gene Belcher looked up from the tomato he was chopping and gave an enthusiastic wave to his friend that had just burst into the restaurant.

“Alright, boss man, what do we got goin’ on here?” Zeke asked the elder Belcher as they traded places at the stove. The scent of the grease from the currently-frying patties immediately clung to Zeke’s shirt as he slipped on his apron.

Bob Belcher wiped the back of his hand across his forehead. “Um, okay, we need three burgers of the day from these patties, and their fries are cooking over there,” he said, gesturing to the bubbling fryer. “You two know the rules, no burning down the restaurant while Lin and I are gone.”

“NO PROMISES,” rang Gene’s voice from over by the table he was new serving. His enthusiasm had matured over the years, changing to a more charming attribute to his overall personality, but he still managed to startle a few customers daily with his sudden outbursts.

Linda came through the door, holding a basket covered by a red-and-white checkered blanket, and put a free arm around her husband’s waist. “Alriiiight, picnic time! Ooh, it’ll be just like in the movies, Bobby!” she said with a giddy squeeze.

Linda waved to the boys as she and bob made their way outside. “Take care, you two! The lunch rush is almost over, but no slacking off, y’hear?” Just before shutting the door, she whispered “Haha, totally kidding. You boys have fun, bye!”

Zeke looked over the counter at Gene as he set down two steaming plates of burger. “Man, your folks act like they’ve never left us working alone before.”

Gene let out an exasperated sigh as he picked up the food. “Tell me about it! You’ve been working here since you and Tina graduated high school, and I’ve been working here SINCE I WAS BORN!” he shouted, forcefully setting down one of the plates in front of its recipient.

“Woah now, easy on the plates there, Genie.” 

Gene shrugged as he made his way back into the kitchen. “I keep telling dad we should just get plastic plates, but I think he’s trying to stay ‘classy,’” Gene stuck his fingers in the air, making hypothetical quotes, “like Jimmy Pesto.”

Zeke walked over to the spice cabinet. “Eh, kind of a lost cause, if you ask me. Burger joints ain’t exactly ‘classy’” he said, mimicking Gene’s air quotes with his empty hand as he walked back over to the burger he was working on. “No offense.”

Taking the finished product from Zeke, Gene scoffed. “Hon, you don’t need to apologize for the  _truth_.”

***

As the last customer of the lunch block made her way out of the restaurant, Gene changed their sign to “closed” and began wiping down tables.

“Lemme cook us up somethin’ to pig out on before we go!” Zeke called out. “Whatchu want on your burger?”

“EVERYTHING” Gene exclaimed, throwing up his arms and accidentally tossing his rag across the room. “Whoops.”

Zeke laughed. “Hell yeah, all or nothin’!”

Finishing up and after cleaning off the grill, Zeke dumped their lunches in a couple of paper bags, and the two headed outside and raced down to the beach.

The boys plopped down on the pier, side-by-side, legs dangling off the edge, and began eating.

Gene munched loudly. “Zeke, yoof outdobe yoursewf yet again!” he shouted, bits of meat flying out of his mouth.

“Aw, shoot,” Zeke said, giving Gene a punch on the arm, “shut up man!”

Gene gulped and turned to face Zeke. “I do miss Tina- sometimes- but I gotta say, I’m glad you’re the one that took her spot when she went off to college. You are a  _much_ better cook!”

Zeke grinned. “Damn straight!” He paused and stuck his hand in the high-rise waters, swishing his fingers around. “She and J-Ju should be home in a few weeks for the summer, though, right?”

Gene nodded and shoved a handful of fries into his mouth.

“Damn, I’m surprised their relationship held out so long, what with JJ off at that fancy-pants dance school with that scholarship of his.”

Gene let out a long, loud burp. “With a body like that, Tina would be a fool to let him slip away after all these years!”

Zeke raised an eyebrow, but Gene just flopped down on his back. “Hey, I’m not blind to beauty! And I would be lying if I said I hadn’t ever envied Tina...”

“Man, J-Ju ends up stealing all the young Belcher hearts, don’t he?”

“Well, just Tina and me, but yeah! Dreamboat, amirite?” Gene nudged his elbow up into Zeke’s side.

Zeke lay back on his forearms. “Well, I lost my chance with Tina years ago, but I guess it was for the best...”

Gene just laughed, “yeah, she’s taking, like, a billion writing classes now. All that reading? SNORE-FEST.”

Zeke let out a tiny sigh and rolled his eyes. That was not quite what he meant. He threw his last fry at Gene’s face, causing the startled latter to jump and flail as he struggled to get to his feet.

By the time Gene was up and ready to retaliate, Zeke had already made it halfway down the pier, shouting, “COME AN’ GET ME, BELCHER! LET’S GO; C’MON!”

Gene groaned as loud as he possibly could, and took off after his attacker. “I! HATE! RUNNING!”

When Gene finally made it back to the sandy land, Zeke was no where to be found. “Zeke? Come ooon, I don’t wanna run all over to find you! That everything burger really slows me do-”.

He was cut off by a sudden side tackle. “SURPRISE ATTACK,” screamed Zeke as he toppled over onto Gene, pinning him down. “I gotcha, I GOTCHA!”

Gene screamed and began squirming for his life. As close as they had become, Gene wasn’t always fond of having his sweaty ape-of-a-friend come crashing down on top of him.

After a few minutes of nonstop struggle, Gene finally managed to squeeze out of the aggressive boy’s grasp, and rolled over on his back, panting. “How... how can one man stay active for SO LONG? WE’RE ONLY HUMAN!” he complained.

Zeke laughed, lying down next to Gene to catch his breath as well. “That’s wrestlin’ for ya, buddy! It’s all about showing dominance! Strength! POW!” He punched the air above his chest, and then let his arms flop down by his sides.

The air was silent, save for the soothing sounds of waves crashing on the shore, and the quieting breaths of the two exhausted boys on the beach. 

Zeke rolled over on his side to look at Gene. “Hey, uh, Gene?”

Gene stayed on his back, but lulled his head over to make eye contact with Zeke. “That’s me!”

“...What time is it?”

Gene looked down at his watch before shooting up into a sitting position. “OH! IT’S ALMOST TIME TO OPEN FOR DINNER!” He leaped up to his feet and stuck a hand out to his friend that remained in the sand. “C’MON ZEKE WE GOTTA GO  _NOW_ OR MY DAD’LL KILL THE BOTH OF US! I DON’T WANT TO BECOME THE NEXT BURGER OF THE DAY!”

Zeke grabbed Gene’s outstretched arm and pulled himself up, and the two began running. “Son of a BITCH! Time sure flies when you’re enjoying a good round of wrestling, don’t it?”

Gene continued running in silence, pulling Zeke behind him.

***

Louise opened the door for the duo as they came rushing in.

“Where the hell have you two dumb asses been!? It’s almost time to open!” she shouted, giving them each a good look over, “and what happened to your clothes?”

Zeke let go of Gene’s hand as they looked at each other, only now realizing that wrestling on the beach meant a brand new coat of sand.

Louise sighed and gestured for the boys to follow her back to Gene’s room. “Zeke, Gene, you two are both practically giants... I’m sure one of Gene’s shirts will fit you, Zeke, while yours is in the wash. Right now, we’ve got a lack of customers to serve!” She left the two of them to sort things out while she raced back to finish prepping the kitchen.

“SHIRT BUDDIES!” Gene shouted as he threw off his sandy shirt and dove into his closet. 

Zeke peered in behind him. “Don’t you own  _anything_ that isn’t yellow?” he asked. 

He was met with a loose, bright yellow, button down shirt to the face.

“Nah; mom always says: If you’ve got it, flaunt it!”

Zeke slipped his arms through the sleeves and began buttoning up the shirt. “What’s that got to do with yellow shirts?”

“I dunno, but IT WORKS!” Gene beamed as he pulled  a yellow tank top over his head.

Zeke grinned as he watched his friend struggle to get his arms through the correct holes of the shirt, and then let out a small sigh, sitting on the edge of Gene’s bed. He rubbed the back of his neck and stared at their sand covered shirts on the floor.

“SUCCESS!” Gene exclaimed, throwing his hands up in triumph. “Ready for round two?”

Zeke didn’t answer.

Gene bounced over and plopped down next to Zeke, making the bed bounce. “C’mon, Zeke! We’re on a mission!”

The older boy looked up into Gene’s bright, expectant eyes. 

“...Gene, I gotta get this off my chest. I know my timin’s not the greatest, but I dunno how much longer I can hold it in me!”

It took every ounce of Gene’s willpower not to make one of his old fart jokes.

Zeke took a deep breath and laid a hand on Gene’s shoulder. “Look, I... God, I really don’t know how to say this. I’m not like Jimmy Jr. I’m not as sensitive or ‘in touch with my emotions,’ or whatever, so, it ain’t exactly easy for me to-”, he was cut off by Gene’s door flying open with a  _slam_.

“ZEKE!” Louise shrieked. “YOU WILL HAVE PLENTY OF TIME TO CONFESS YOUR SO NOT SECRET LOVE FOR MY BROTHER LATER! Right now it’s WORK TIME, and I am NOT running that place BY MYSELF!”

“LOUISE, HANG ON A SECOND, GIRL!” Zeke protested.

But Louise was having none of it. She had said her piece and marched back out the door.

Zeke could feel his face burning, and glanced sideways at Gene, who was grinning.

_Grinning?_

“W-what’re you smilin’ like that for? Cut it out! It’s givin’ me the creeps!”

Gene’s smile only grew as he grabbed Zeke’s hand. “It’s ok, I kinda already knew!”

“You what?”

“Yeah... Louise told me, to be fair. She’s got a crazy radar for these kinds of lovey-dovey things! I guess I just wanted to be sure, first...”

Zeke looked at Gene in mild perplexity. “First for what?”

Gene pulled Zeke up off the bed with him. “Before telling you I like you too, of course!” 

Zeke was stunned into for approximately two seconds before pulling Gene in for a kiss.

When they broke apart, Gene smiled and said, “I’ve been waiting waaaay too long for that!”

Zeke smiled and took Gene’s hand again. “C’mon, man. We can’t keep your scary sister waiting much longer.”


End file.
